The attire of the ritual participants is also quite particular.
The three offerings to the True Monarch of Fire and Water are naturally extraordinary.
The initial offering is "Craftsmen's Tools as the Heart."
Eight bare-chested apprentice craftsmen carry the steam engine model to the front of the vat, and Zhou Bainiao sprinkles sulfur into the cracks.
"Zila" — a burst of blue flame shoots up, instantly transforming into a sulfurous white smoke.
The disciples closest to the stage feel a sharp sting in their noses and hurriedly hold their breath, but the craftsman Grandmaster Zhao Huogong kneels with a thud, leading many craftsmen in a loud exclamation: "Ancestor, bless us with a craftsman's meal!"
The disciples below, seeing this, quickly bow and salute.
The secondary offering is "Grains as Blood."
The disciples of the Agricultural Department pour millet, wheat, rice, sorghum, and beans onto the iron wave base.
